Everyone has intrusive thoughts and habits. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is different in degree and in grip: unwanted thoughts that cause real distress, and rituals or mental routines you feel driven to perform to relieve it, taking up time and crowding out life. This self-assessment covers the experiences clinicians ask about when evaluating OCD. Answer about the past month.
This self-assessment is for information only. It is not a diagnostic tool and cannot replace an evaluation by a licensed mental health professional. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 or call 911.
OCD Self-Assessment
Obsessions
- Do you have repeated, unwanted thoughts, images or urges that feel intrusive and cause anxiety or disgust, such as fears of contamination, of harming someone, of making a mistake, or thoughts that feel morally or sexually wrong?
- Do you try to ignore, suppress or neutralize these thoughts, and find that they come back anyway?
- Do you recognize the thoughts as excessive or unreasonable, at least some of the time, yet still cannot shake them?
Compulsions
- Do you feel driven to repeat behaviors, such as washing, checking, counting, ordering, or repeating actions until they feel “right”?
- Do you perform mental rituals, such as praying, counting, reviewing or reassuring yourself, to reduce anxiety or prevent something bad?
- Do you seek reassurance from others repeatedly about the same worry?
- Do you avoid situations, objects or places because they trigger the thoughts or the need to perform rituals?
Impact
- Do the thoughts and rituals take up more than an hour a day?
- Do they cause significant distress, or interfere with work, school, relationships or daily routines?
- Have they been present for weeks or months rather than days?
What Your Answers May Mean
OCD is diagnosed when obsessions, compulsions or both are time-consuming (typically more than an hour a day) or cause significant distress or impairment. If you answered yes to questions in both the obsessions and compulsions sections and yes to the impact questions, an evaluation by a clinician experienced with OCD is worthwhile. Only a licensed professional can make the diagnosis; related conditions such as generalized anxiety, body dysmorphic disorder, hoarding disorder and tic disorders can look similar.
What OCD Is
Obsessive-compulsive disorder affects about 1 to 2 percent of adults and usually begins in adolescence or early adulthood. It is not a personality quirk about neatness; it is an anxiety-driven cycle in which rituals bring brief relief and strengthen the obsession over time. OCD commonly occurs alongside depression, other anxiety disorders and substance use. Learn more about OCD.
Free, Confidential Helpline
Ready to take the next step toward recovery?
Our Recovery Advocates are available around the clock to answer your questions, verify your insurance, and help you find the right level of care — at no cost to you.
How OCD Is Treated
- Exposure and response prevention (ERP), a form of cognitive behavioral therapy and the first-line treatment for OCD
- Medication, typically SSRIs at higher doses than for depression, sometimes with additions
- Intensive programs (intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization or residential) for severe OCD or when co-occurring depression or substance use is present
- Treatment of co-occurring conditions in the same plan
See inpatient mental health treatment and online counseling.
Want to talk to someone about your results? Our admissions team can arrange a confidential assessment with a licensed clinician and explain treatment options, from outpatient therapy to inpatient care. Verify your insurance or call any time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is being very organized the same as OCD?
No. OCD involves distressing obsessions and compulsions that interfere with life, not a preference for order.
Can OCD be treated without medication?
Often, yes. ERP alone is effective for many people; medication is added when symptoms are severe or ERP alone is not enough.
Do intrusive thoughts mean I want to act on them?
No. Intrusive thoughts in OCD are distressing precisely because they conflict with your values; they are symptoms, not intentions.
Does insurance cover OCD treatment?
Most plans cover mental health treatment under federal parity law. Verify your coverage in minutes.
